A Bright New Idea

I’m working on a new novel outline and as I was working on the characters, and getting all these terrific ideas and scenes, it occurred to me to mind map as I developed the outline.

There’s always so much going on in your head when you’re outlining that it’s easy to forget some of these great ideas – and how characters relate to one another. Answer: Start a mind map and keep adding to it as your outline evolves.

The middle of October, everyone’s thoughts are turning to the inevitable: what do my kids want to dress up as this year? What do I want to dress up as? Which party will be “the one” to be at this year? And my favorite, who’s bringing the best candies to work this year?

It’s impossible – those dreams we have and the ideals we want to live up to – those things which we know we ought to do but don’t do. And knowing we deliberately avoid these things says something – that we know what we are avoiding and make other poorer choices. Well, our choices now may lead to problems later.

I’m sure you’ve seen them: 10 Great Christmas Gifts, 5 Things to Do With Your Family, 1001 Great Christmas Quotes. Of course, I’ve made those up (maybe they exist, but that’s not my point.) We all fall for the 5 or 10 step programs, ideas, gifts…whatever. So I decided to not do that. Here are just a couple of ideas about Christmas.